It’s no secret that I jones hard for Pretty Little Liars. It doesn’t matter that I’ll be turning 24 this year or that PLL is an ABC Family (ugh) hit show. No sir. I defy conventions. Or rather, fall into them? Whatever. I like it and that’s that.

This week’s episode was especially superb. There are genuine reasons I love the show. And then, there are some less than genuine reasons, too. Tonight was all sorts of insincere.

Let me start by highlighting what worked for me that really shouldn’t have. 1) Hanna slapped a blind girl, then dissed her blindness. 2) The conflict with Aria and HER TEACHER remains to be how sad it is they must hide their love and NOT THE FACT THAT SHE BARELY HAS A LICENSE AND HE’S BEEN THROUGH COLLEGE. 3) Ian the likely murderer and deatheater-to-all-of-Spencer’s-happiness had a really stellar Got Milk? moment.

Now the things that worked and should work. 1) Emily’s still gay and getting play #doublewin. 2)Having realized Alison sucks, the girls are refocusing their emotions toward each other/ actual friendship. 3)the kid who needs a haircut left, putting an end, hopefully, to the awkwardly-addressed “foster child” situation.

ohhhh girrrrrrl STRUT

This show is good because it has its’ moments.

Obviously, it’s silly. In fact, I often find myself uncontrollably snorting through lengthy segments of teen angst. But, it also has moments of importance. It’s a show about girls and their lives. I can count on one hand how many others shows exist on-air today sharing that same agenda.

Furthermore, the characters have a singular focus that addresses a social issue. They’re brought together by the murder plot line, but it oft breaches subplot status in comparison to their personal struggles. Each girl has her one story and it gets time and attention. This is big when the story is about a lesbian or about a girl suffering from an eating disorder or about an overachiever struggling for parental attention. The issues are as real as the sizable age differences between the actresses IRL and their characters.

I’m back nerds. Sorry for the whole “Erin takes 3 months off thing after coming back hard.” There: Apology complete.

Can we talk about Southland? If you haven’t seen this week’s episode, look away. Alan Sepinwall, one of my favorite TV critics was a bit miffed about the shocker of and episode this week. He prefers the beat cop storylines to the detective storylines. While his reasoning is just (go ahead and read it yourself) I personally prefer watching Sammy, Nate and Adams. They’re more invested, they show a bit more range and we see more of their family drama play out. I was a bit misty eyed at the end of this week’s episode. It was sudden, bold, and aggressive. It was 5 minutes of HBO shoved on TNT. It’s a shame more people aren’t tuning in. This show is something special. (Side note: Anyone else wishing AMC had picked up Southland? TNT doesn’t deserve it.)

Continuing in the blogging-about-a-show-that’s-about-to-wrap fashion, I’ve decided to discuss with all 3 of you, this season of Dexter. I just watched the most recent episode, in which, talented, season-long guest star Julia Stiles, playing victim-turned-vigilante “Lumen”, exacts revenge on one of her assailants by applying the Dexter Morgan version of bustin a cap in his ass (yes, there are 6 commas in this sentence).

Now this was an intense episode. The past three episodes, this one included, have all been very intense. This always happens with Dexter. A few of the intro eps are solid, but there’s a lot of set up. Then, once you’re invested, things get incredibly messy and nerve-wracking, and most importantly, they get provocative.

With this season, and the introduction of a character that knows who and what Dexter is, I’ve become an even more invested viewer. I’ve wanted this to happen in the past seasons. I’ve wanted someone to crack his barrier, to join him in his morbid, yet arguably good, quest. I’m happy it’s turned out to be someone that Dexter, the character, can embrace (pun intended). Lumen’s experience and his reaction to that experience has tipped the scale in Dexter’s favor. He’s a mass murderer, yet this season makes him the ultimate likable anti-hero, with a heavy emphasis on hero.

There are only a few episodes left, and it’s unlikely that things will remain on this upward path toward success for Dex. But, at least for now, I’m very happy with this season.

I liked it. The live audience threw me off a bit though, since 30 Rock is usually sans laugh track. It wasn’t the funniest episode of all time, but I appreciated the effort and the special little “live-items” they did to set it apart from a typical broadcast, and it was nice to see Matt Damon and Jon Hamm reprising their role as Liz’s surprisingly-hot-for-someone-so-awkward boyfriends.

It still didn’t hold a candle to the live episode of ER. Anyone else remember that? Historic. They were watching a baseball game in the episode people! A baseball game! (Sidenote: The NY Times hated that episode, but haters to the left. I loved it.)

So unlike ediddy, I’m actually really sad My Generation got cancelled. It wasn’t the best show on television, but I applaud them for having youngish characters who actually lead young-ish lives and live in apartments/houses that look appropriate for someone 28. They made great use of that format too. Anyway, I’ve had the weekend to get over it, and I also had the weekend to watch the pilot of No Ordinary Family.

No Ordinary Family is basically a live-action version of The Incredibles. The Powell family goes on a trip to Brazil. While on a sightseeing tour of the Amazon, their small plane crashes, and the mystical powers of the water they land in give them all superpowers. (Dad: Catches bullets, jumps really high, strong; Mom: Runs fast; Daughter: Telepathy; Son: Super Genius)

This show could have rested on its laurels and stayed pretty one dimensional. A family with super powers?! That should be enough right? Instead they layered in a little family drama to take it from being kind of a pedestrian show to being a bit more meaty.

Dad, Jim Powell (played by an adorably doughy Michael Chiklis) feels like his family is living in different worlds, under the same roof. His research scientist wife, (Julie Benz, from Dexter ) is a super important research-scientist who usually finds herself out of the house, doing science-y things. His teenage kids are dealing with problems on their own, from pressures to have sex to learning disabilities. He thought the trip to Brazil would bring them closer, and while the plane crash sort of did it, the super powers will probably seal the deal.

The good thing about the pilot episode is that it got a lot done. We met the family, found out they had problems, saw them go to Brazil, get in a plane crash, come home, figure out they all had powers, Jim Powell (who works as a police sketch artist) tried to use his powers to stop crimes, Mama Powell found out and made him promise not to do it again, at first the daughter didn’t want her power, the son didn’t think he had one, then he figured it out, then the whole family played football together, which is all Papa Powell really wanted in the first place. And scene. Whew, just writing it makes me tired. That’s a lot of action for an hour. Now that all that basic stuff is out of the way, it opens up the show to dive in to a lot of stuff. The pilot episode eluded to the fact that there may be more superheroes out there. Ooooh intrigue.

Oh and did I mention Papa Powell has a sassy Black friend, just like Mr. Incredible? Romany Malco (Conrad from Weeds) plays a twice divorced attorney who builds Papa Powell a secret crimefighting lair (Sorry Mama Powell). I think Malco has awesome comedy chops, so hopefully he’ll be put to use on this show.

This review is kind of all over the place. I recognize that. Thanks for bearing with me. Bottom line: This show is worth the watch! If you missed the pilot, watch it online. It’s a little something different than the traditional cop, hospital, lawyer, family drama. And that breath of fresh air is what TV lineups everywhere could use.